Page 20 - ARUBA TODAY

A20 SPORTS
Wednesday 12 July 2017
Aaron Judge smashes hit way to Home Run Derby title

By RONALD BLUM and some Yankees fans
AP Baseball Writer showed up to support him
MIAMI (AP) — Aaron Judge in their full dress — flow-
hit the glass behind left field ing black robes and white
that supports the retract- powdered wigs. Booed
able roof at Marlins Park. initially by the crowd of
He drove balls over the Red 37,027, Judge earned
Grooms home run sculp- cheers once Stanton, the
ture in left-center, over the defending champion, and
batter’s eye in center and Bour were eliminated in the
— unusually for a Home first round.
Run Derby, to the opposite Judge has hit the longest
field, too. home run in the regular
He even hit the roof. season this year in the ma-
The larger-than-life New jors — 495 feet. He broke
York Yankees slugger domi- a TV monitor at Yankee
nated the All-Star Home Stadium with a BP drive
Run Derby in the same that went over the center-
manner he has smashed his field bleachers in May and
way through his rookie sea- dented a door casing with
son, beating Minnesota’s a home run last week.
Miguel Sano 11-10 with two In Tuesday night’s game,
minutes to spare in the final he’s set to bat third for the
on Monday night. American League.
“It was a blast. I enjoyed ev- Sano beat Kansas City’s
ery minute of it — watching Mike Moustakas 11-10 in
the other guys swing, com- New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge smiles as he competes during the MLB baseball All-Star Home the opening round, and
ing here early and talking Run Derby, Monday, July 10, 2017, in Miami. the Yankees’ Gary Sanchez
to the media,” Judge said. Associated Press topped Stanton 17-16.
“Everything about today ters) and 282 pounds (128 ting the roof, thought to “That guy Aaron Judge, Stanton, who got home at
was fantastic.” kilograms), hit 47 home runs be previously untouched he doesn’t get tired,” Sano about 5 a.m. after a game
Five years ago, Judge won in the derby that totaled by batted ball. That drive said. in San Francisco, started
the college home run der- 3.9 miles. His longest drive didn’t count. Many of the All-Stars sat slowly against pitcher Pat
by in Omaha, Nebraska. of the night went 513 feet, “I got it in BP, too, earlier. in foul territory, some with Shine, hitting three liners
This time, he outslugged and he topped 500 four So I wasn’t too surprised by their kids. before a 429-foot drive
some of baseball’s top times. that,” Judge said. “I had never seen him in to center. Stanton began
stars, including local favor- “I thought I had seen it all Hitting second each time, person. He’s really impres- to find his grove and hit a
ites Giancarlo Stanton and before. He didn’t even look Judge knocked out Bour sive,” said Colorado’s 496-foot shot off the glass
Justin Bour of the Miami like he was getting tired,” 23-22 in the first round and Charlie Blackmon, who was behind the left-field seats,
Marlins. said Seattle’s Robinson beat Los Angeles Dodg- eliminated in the first round. then started spraying im-
“A lot more fans,” Judge Cano, the 2011 Derby win- ers rookie Cody Bellinger “The first time I saw him, he pressive drives. He had 15
said. “Your adrenaline is ner. “He was going oppo- 13-12 in the second. Then, was in a crowd. I was won- when his 30-second bonus
pumping, you’re nervous, site field. He was late on the with lightning visible behind dering what he was stand- road started but added
you’re excited. But this was ball and he was putting the the huge glass door, he hit ing on. He’s a monster.” just one more. The crowd
an incredible experience.” ball in the upper deck.” a 458-foot drive above the Judge leads the major groaned when his last fell
Judge, 6-foot-7 (2.01-me- Judge had no trouble hit- batter’s eye for the title. leagues with 30 home runs, short.q

All-Star players remember late Marlins ace Jose Fernandez

By STEVEN WINE September. Among his un- “His No. 1 thing to that ing boat that crashed into
AP Sports Writer fulfilled goals was to start point, besides winning Cy a jetty last Sept. 25, killing
MIAMI (AP) — Clayton Ker- in Tuesday’s game at his Young, was to start this him and two other men, an
shaw stood in the National home ballpark. game,” Stanton said. investigation determined. It
League clubhouse before It would have happened if Fernandez was the “proba- listed drugs and alcohol as
Tuesday’s All-Star Game not for the accident, Mar- ble” operator of the speed- factors in the crash.q
across from Jose Fernan- lins owner Jeffrey Loria said.
dez’s locker, which serves “His last five starts would
as memorial to the Miami probably have been one-
Marlins’ dynamic right- hitters, so he would have
hander. forced the issue,” Loria
“It’s sad for sure to see said. “He is on my mind ev-
that,” said Kershaw, the ery day, every single day.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ ace. It’s something that doesn’t
“Obviously he meant a lot Miami Marlins’ Giancarlo disappear for me, unfortu-
to everybody, because his Stanton is hit by a pitch during nately. No doubt he would
locker is still here. You re- the sixth inning of a baseball have been an All-Star. He
flect for sure.” game against the Chicago would have found a way
Fernandez was a two-time Cubs, Friday, June 23, 2017, in to be the starter.”
All-Star before he died Miami. Associated Press Marlins slugger Giancarlo
at 24 in a boat crash last Stanton agreed.